FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Jim Sparaco (@JimSparaco) SAP Center at San Jose (408) 999-5792 Press Release Link HERE [email protected] SAN JOSE, SAP CENTER AT SAN JOSE SELECTED TO HOST 2021 TOYOTA U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS SAN JOSE, California (October 30, 2019) – U.S. Figure Skating announced the selection of San Jose, California, as the host city for the 2021 TOYOTA U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Jan. 11-17, 2021. Competition and practice will be held at SAP Center at San Jose and Solar4America Ice at San Jose. The 2021 U.S. Championships will return to San Jose for the fourth time (1996, 2012 and 2018), and the first since 2018. The annual event, held since 1914, is the nation’s most prestigious figure skating event, with past champions including Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano and Scott Hamilton. Champions will be crowned in ladies, men’s, pairs and ice dance at the championship and junior levels. “The Bay Area is synonymous with so many skating greats, so it’s special to return our marquee domestic event to the city of San Jose in the year of our organization’s 100-year anniversary,” U.S. Figure Skating President Anne Cammett said. “We’re confident that with the strong support of the local community and the many activities that will take place as part of our centennial celebration, the 2021 U.S. Championships will be exciting for skaters and fans alike.” In San Jose, the event will take place at the SAP Center at San Jose, with Solar4America Ice at San Jose serving as the official practice venue and the host of U.S. Figure Skating’s newly established National High- Performance Development Camp. The U.S. Championships return to California for the 13th time. Northern California is/was home to several figure skating greats including Olympic champions Brian Boitano, Kristi Yamaguchi and Peggy Fleming, 1986 World champion Debi Thomas and 1996 U.S. champ Rudy Galindo, who won the U.S. title in his hometown the first time San Jose hosted this event. 2014 Olympian and three-time U.S. medalist Polina Edmunds lives San Jose, and the Bay Area is also home to the reigning U.S. champion, Alysa Liu, 2017 U.S. champion Karen Chen and 2019 World bronze medalist Vincent Zhou. The event will serve as a kickoff to U.S. Figure Skating’s 100- year anniversary celebration. “San Jose is proud to host the U.S. Figure Skating Championships for a fourth time,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “Deeply immersed in skating tradition and culture, our community is home to some of the sport’s greatest legends. We look forward to extending our Silicon Valley hospitality to some of the world’s best athletes.” “Sharks Sports & Entertainment is elated to have been selected to host the U.S. Figure Skating Championships at SAP Center at San Jose once again in 2021,” said Sharks Sports & Entertainment President John Tortora. “With two state-of-art ice venues in SAP Center and Solar4America Ice and two great partners in the City of San Jose and the San Jose Sports Authority, we look forward to making the 2021 U.S. Figure Skating Championships another fantastic, high profile national event that will proudly represent the City of San Jose and the Bay Area skating community, boost the downtown economy, and bring thousands of skating enthusiasts to San Jose for the event.” “We are thrilled to host the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, one of the country’s most high-profile sporting events, in San Jose, celebrating the centennial of U.S. Figure Skating” added John Poch, Executive Director of the San Jose Sports Authority. “With leadership from the Sports Authority, SAP Center at San Jose, and the continued support of our key community partners, including the City and its Office of Economic Development and Team San Jose of the San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau, we are eager to showcase our world-class city as the Championships return to SAP Center.” In the lead up to the 2021 U.S. Championships, U.S. Figure Skating will work with the San Jose Sports Authority, SAP Center, Sharks Ice at San Jose and local figure skating clubs to plan the event. The 2021 U.S. Championships will be broadcast live on NBC Universal, and streamed live, commercial-free and on demand with the Figure Skating Pass on NBC Sports Gold. Tickets to the 2021 U.S. Championships will go on sale later this fall. For more information and to sign up for ticket alerts click here. MEDIA ASSETS: For event photos, click HERE. (Password: skating15) For event video, click HERE. (Media outlets should credit U.S. Figure Skating and use no more than 90 seconds of competition footage in newscast.) – U.S. Figure Skating – U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating in the United States as recognized by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the International Skating Union. U.S. Figure Skating is comprised of more than 765 member clubs, collegiate clubs, school-affiliated clubs and more than 1,000 registered Learn to Skate USA programs representing more than 203,023 members. U.S. Figure Skating is charged with the development of the sport on all levels within the United States including athletes, officials, sanctioning of events and exhibitions, and establishing the rules and guidelines by which the sport is governed. – SAP Center at San Jose – Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, SAP Center at San Jose is the premier sports and entertainment venue in Northern California. Each year, SAP Center hosts approximately 175 events featuring professional and amateur athletes, Olympic athletes, Grammy award- winners, international recording artists, and a variety of performers who appeal to children and families alike. SAP Center at San Jose is home to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League and San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League. For more information about SAP Center at San Jose and for a list of upcoming events, visit the SAP Center home page at www.sapcenter.com. – San Jose Sports Authority – The San Jose Sports Authority is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the City of San Jose’s economic development, visibility and civic pride through sports. Serving as the City's sports commission since in 1991, the Sports Authority has provided leadership and support to attract and host hundreds of sporting events in San Jose and the South Bay. The Sports Authority also supports and operates community, youth and amateur sports programs, including the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame and the REACH Youth Scholarship. .